Impact Starts at UNICEF Canada
JOIN OUR TEAM AS SR. MANAGER, LEGACY GIVING & ESTATE ADMINISTRATION
Do you have superb attention to detail and a passion for meaningful impact?
Join UNICEF Canada – one of Canada’s most respected and historic charities – and be part of a high-impact, mission-driven team working across Canada and globally to create a better world for children.
We are seeking a talented individual for the role of Senior Manager, Legacy Giving & Estate Administration.
Position Details
Position Title
Senior Manager, Legacy Giving & Estate Administration
Employment Type:
Full-time, Permanent (Vacant – New Role)
Reports to:
Director, Legacy & Planned Giving
Salary Range:
$75,000 to $85,000 per year annually with benefits and 3 weeks paid vacation
Work Environment:
UNICEF Canada is transitioning to a Flexible-Hybrid model that requires team members to attend the office on our anchor days, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, at a minimum each week.
Why UNICEF & UNICEF Canada?
UNICEF is the world’s farthest-reaching humanitarian organization for children. Across 190 countries and territories, and in the world’s toughest places, we provide and advocate for education, health and nutrition services. Protect children from violence and abuse. Bring clean water and sanitation to those in need. Keep them safe from climate change and disease. Serve as the world’s largest provider of vaccines. Before, during and after emergencies, we’re on the ground with life-saving help and hope. The needs of children around the world continue to increase and the role of UNICEF is more important than ever.
UNICEF Canada is one of 32 National Committees (NatComs) located in high-income countries around the world. Our team exists to fundraise for UNICEF’s highest priorities, and to work neutrally with governments and the private sector in Canada and internationally to advance the rights and well-being of children and youth.
As UNICEF Canada prepares to launch a bold new Strategic Plan in 2026, raising funds in support of children around the world will remain a key focus. Be part of this next phase of impact!
The Opportunity
As a key member of UNICEF Canada’s Development team, the Senior Manager, Legacy Giving & Estate Administration leads the administration of the estates portfolio while also supporting broader legacy and planned gift strategies and activities. This role requires a strategic-thinker who has strong knowledge of estate administration, exceptional attention to detail, and well-developed project management and relationship-building skills – delivered in a manner that reflects UNICEF Canada’s mission, vision, and commitment to excellence.
Reporting to the Director, Legacy & Planned Giving, the Senior Manager will support as a subject matter expert and will be responsible for operationalizing the full lifecycle of legacy gifts from estate notification to realization of funds to stewardship and recognition. The role involves overseeing estate communications, requiring strong analytical skills and sound judgement in identifying complex issues. In addition, the incumbent demonstrates strong project management and relationship-building skills, contributing to thoughtful strategies and engagement with donors, families, allied professionals, and prospects, while working cross-functionally to support business needs. A bilingual (French/English) candidate is highly preferred.
If you’re energized by purpose-driven work and motivated to create lasting impact for children, we want to hear from you!
Key Accountabilities
Estate Administration (75%):
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Oversee the lifecycle of estate administration and other planned gifts, demonstrating excellence in timely reviews, personalized communications, appropriate follow-up, and adherence to all estate law, trust, and CRA guidelines and requirements.
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Act as the primary contact and relationship manager for estate families, representatives and lawyers.
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Regularly exercise due diligence and sound judgement when handling all estate communications including notices, releases, and statements of accounts.
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Manage compliance and risk management of estates, liaising with Director, Legacy & Planned Giving and legal counsel to resolve.
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Establish and maintain a high standard of regular written, verbal, and in-person communications with advisors, executors, and families throughout the administration process, delivering clarity and compassion.
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Maintain meticulous tracking of all estate activity in Raiser’s Edge database, advising on improvements when needed.
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Develop effective estate administration processes and business rules.
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Collaborate with internal and external teams on gift acceptance policy updates.
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Maintain a digital first environment for estate records keeping.
Strategy (15%):
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Actively contribute to our strategic planning and KPIs for the Legacy team’s estate portfolio
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Collaborate with Director, Legacy & Planned Giving on staff and donor education of planned giving options and impact of gifts.
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Develop strategic engagement with estate representatives and families and contribute to broad strategy for allied professionals.
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Manage special projects as needed.
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Provide regular reporting and updates to Director, Legacy & Planned Giving.
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Contribute to team updates, new ideas, and insights.
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Drive cross-team alignment of legacy giving practices to ensure integrated planning, reporting, and stewardship of legacy gifts.
Donor Development (10%):
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Support Director, Legacy & Planned Giving to develop and manage a portfolio of high value donors and complex gifts.
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Honour donors’ legacies through the development of personalized and meaningful stewardship and recognition opportunities, cultivating family legacies, and sharing the impact of gifts.
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Provide expertise to other colleagues on donors’ planned giving strategies and gift acceptance.
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Liaise and coordinate with internal teams and external stakeholders on initiatives and projects.
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Conceptualize and create, in consult with marketing team, planned giving tools and resources for donors, estate representatives, and staff.
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Manage and provide oversight on an estate pipeline, including forecasting, revenue realization, and risk mitigation across the legacy portfolio.
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Provide functional leadership and mentorship to colleagues across the Legacy Giving team on estate administration, planned giving strategies, and donor stewardship best practices.
Qualifications
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A post-secondary degree, diploma or equivalent work experience with a focus in estate administration, gift planning, law/paralegal, or other related discipline.
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5-7 years minimum related work experience in estate administration within a charity, or legal/trust office.
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MTI, TEP, MFA-P or CFRE designations are considered assets.
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Bilingual (French) candidate highly preferred.
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Experience administering estates across Canada or knowledge of varying rules and processes by province
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Results-driven with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, prioritize, and multi-task with strong organizational skills and follow-through.
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Superior attention to detail.
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Proven ability to collaborate with stakeholders, seek information when needed, exercise sound judgement, and risk management.
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Fluency in English with strong written and verbal communication skills.
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Experience with CRMs (Raiser’s Edge or Salesforce preferred).
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Proficiency in MS Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
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Dedication to lifelong learning with interest in professional development, new estate giving trends, and tax and philanthropy laws.
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Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
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Superb attention to detail and strong planning and time management skills.
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Experience managing completing priorities and meeting deadlines.
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Self-starter and resourceful with a collaborative spirit.
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Knowledge of and interest in UNICEF’s mission and values.
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Commitment to respect and inclusiveness.
An Employer of Choice: What We Offer
UNICEF Canada is where diverse talent & passion come together to create extraordinary impact for every child. We are committed to being an employer of choice and building a culture that is inclusive, ambitious, compassionate, and high impact.
Members of the UNICEF Canada team have access to the following employee benefits:
A ROBUST COMPENSATION PACKAGE
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Extended Health/Dental benefits, Healthcare Spending Account, and Wellness Account
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Life, AD&D, & Long-Term disability insurance coverage
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Employer match contributions (5%) to a Group Pension Plan
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Access to parental leave top-up
A COMMITMENT TO WELLNESS
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Flexible-hybrid work environment to support the work-life integration needs of our team
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Minimum 3 weeks of annual vacation (increases with time served) & 1 additional day per year of service (max 30)
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10 paid sick days & 2 personal days
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9 to 11 employee wellness days – an additional series of pre-set days off, given annually to further extend long weekends
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Discounted rate for a GoodLife gym membership
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Access to an Employee and Family Assistance Program
A CULTURE OF LEARNING & GROWTH
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Access to a comprehensive global learning platform with over 1600 courses, webinars & resources
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Internal leadership development, training, & mentorship programs that integrate Anti-Racism and diversity, equity and inclusion principles
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Opportunities to access both local & global stretch assignments
AN INCLUSIVE & PURPOSE-DRIVEN WORKPLACE
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Centrally located head office in mid-town Toronto with satellite offices in Calgary & Montreal
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Easily accessed by public transit and a short walk from several parking locations
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Inclusive & accessible co-working and meeting spaces designed to foster purpose at every turn and accommodate the diverse needs of employees
A CHANCE TO DO MEANINGFUL & LIFE-CHANGING WORK
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Under the leadership of a dynamic, accomplished, and experienced executive leadership team, you’ll be part of a diverse & talented Canada team committed to creating meaningful impact while fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment.
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You’ll join a global UNICEF family with a shared commitment to impact the lives of children
Our Commitment to Inclusive Workplaces & Recruitment
UNICEF Canada is an inclusive workplace and is committed to championing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process.
At UNICEF Canada, we believe strongly in personal connections, and our hiring process is entirely human driven. We do not use AI or automated systems to review applications or conduct interviews. Each candidate is evaluated by our experienced team to ensure a fair and thoughtful hiring experience.
How to Apply
Please submit your resume and cover letter as one document to
[email protected] by
Friday, June 19, 2026. Please reference
Senior Manager, Legacy Giving & Estate Administration in the subject heading.
UNICEF Canada thanks all applicants for their interest in this opportunity, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Consistent with our Child Safeguarding Policy, all successful candidates must receive clearance by a police background check (including a vulnerable sector screen).
